Ding Ding, Round 1:Sharpmaker vs. Lansky?

[Mykl Clark]

I own a Lansky 4 hone diamond kit with an added ceramic ultrafine now my question is should I invest in a sharpmaker? Will it out perform the Lansky last longer? I'm also thinking of buying the Natural Arkansas ultrafine for the Lansky since it is a little finer what do you think?

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Concentration, patience, and practice always lead to success.

 

[Roger Blake]

The Sharpmaker would be a better choice if you could only have one. Its more versatile and more convenient. The Lansky is better only at reprofiling an edge. And for that the Skarb and Edge Pro are better still but Spyderco is most versatile.

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Roger Blake

 

[James Healy]

I do not have either system, but i have heard lots of bad things about the lansky having bent guide rods etc, and only good things about the sharpmaker. That makes the choice pretty easy for me. While we're talking about sharpeners, a friend of mine has an Edgepro (lucky bastard). If cost is no object, go for one of these.

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All knives are created equal, then i get my dirty big hands on them and the real fun begins.

 

[Snoopy]

I think it is a first round knockout for the Edgepro.

 

[db]

Beam how in the world can you say that the Sharpmaker is more versatile than the Lansky? As for bent rods I have not seen them but I did hear this complaint from 1 member on BF. So I think it could happen but is rare. Just for balanceI have also read that a hone that came with a Sharpmaker was not flat, and needed to be replaced. And yep it was a new Sharpmaker never used.

 

[HC Leo]

The marketing strategy back here has punted the Lansky.I bought a deluxe kit and have enjoyed using it.I am able to get a hair popping edge on my daily carry AFCK 812. I have asked a few guys about their thoughts on the Sharpmaker(back here). Almost all of them have ripped it off, saying the Lansky keeps the angle consistent whereas on the Sharpmaker the angle is determined by how straight you draw the blade edge over the hones!!(the Sharpmaker is more expensive back here....hmmm wonder if price was factored in their comments!!!???)
I have decide to purchase a Sharpmaker 204 to decide for myself!(there were those that said
they could not get a hair popping edge with a Lansky!..I proved them wrong)
I have just received my Sebenza and the Sharpmaker is the recommended sharpener.
I have learnt as a newbie when it comes to sharpening edges the key factor is patience...no matter what sharpener you use.

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Keep sharp

 

[ptn]

I've been using a Lansky for quite awhile. My only complaint is the setup hassle and there is simply no way around that problem. My system has 5 "stones", extra coarse to extra fine. The system works great. I can put any edge I desire on a knife with it.

Recently I bought a Sharpmaker 204. It's much quicker to put to work. I believe it will become my usual sharpener, at least for bringing edges back to knives after use. Frankly, I am still learning how to maintain that "visual vertical" alignment especially while concentrating on keeping the blade in full contact on the flat sides of the triangle "stones". I am also learning how to keep the blade tip from sliding off the edge of the stone at the edge of a stroke. I am getting knives sharp on the sharpmaker but I don't yet feel like a natural with the Sharpmaker system. I do see the beauty of the system and intend to keep working at it.
I can't really imagine reprofiling blades on the sharpmaker. It seems like it would take forever, but I've read posts that indicate otherwise.

I like both systems. The accuracy and speed of the Lansky for putting that initial edge on a knife.... and the speed and convenience of the Sharpmaker for keeping my blades sharp.

I want them both.

 

I do own both, a sharpmaker 204 and a lansky 4-diamond set. I like both, for different tasks.

Lansky: to set a bevel, new or just upkeep, and (quickly) sharpen to "sharp".

The sharpmaker to get "final sharpness", using just the white stone, along the edge, with absolutely NO pressure applied. It does, what a steel cannot: really take away the last bit of the burr (which the diamonds let on tough steels).

Stainless steels a more brittle, so after the "fine" diamond, no burr is left.

I do check my edges with a 20x stereo microscope. It tells you what really is.

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D.T. UTZINGER

 

[ELarson]

I own a Sharpmaker 203, 204, and a Lansky. The Lansky collects dust now. I found that the angles on the Lansky were not accurate, and vary depending on the knife. The angle also varies with how wide a sweep you take, and how straight the rods are. Now I use the 204 for everything except a chisel ground sushi knife. The Lansky gets all the knives scary sharp, but so does the 204, and without the more difficult setup and mess.



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E. Larson
Edmonds, WA

 

[Roger Blake]

Originally posted by db:
Beam how in the world can you say that the Sharpmaker is more versatile than the Lansky?

Ever done a long knife say a kitchen knife with a Lansky? My take is that the shorter the blade the better for the Lansky. Yes you can do a kitchen knife on the Lansky by continually moving it over. How about recurved or hawk billed knives? Which sets up easier? Also, its hard to get the point right with the Lansky.

Really I don't see how you can question which is more versatile?

My personal favorite at the moment is the Skarb.

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Roger Blake

 

[fracmeister]

The bullet proof system is the Tormek Grinder. Angles are perfect. Easy to keep a knife sharp and you just "want" to strop it up a little after use. Then again, it is pretty expensive.

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Dances with lemmings
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[AlaChoctaw]

I have the regular Lansky (not diamond) and the Sharpmaker 204.The Lansky is great and has served well for many years, but is a major pain on long knives.Also, I have developed arthritis in both hands, making it very painful to use it.I have been very happy with the Sharpmaker 204 and it is much easier on my hands.For damaged blades I have a Lohman diamond set, which works much like the Sharpmaker.

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AKTI Member #A000934
"Always just one knife short of perfection!"

 

[bagman]

I have got the Gatco Pro system with extra diamond hones so I guess it is the equvilent to the Lansky.

I also have the new 204 and only ever use the Gatco for reprofilling. I started to try to change a 25% edge on a custom CPM 420V neck knife down to 19% or so on my 204 and gave up in a very short time, it took ages even with the diamond hones on the Gatco but for general resahrpening the 204 is so quick and gives an excellent result.

 

[Kevin Miller]

I own both the Lansky and the Sharpmaker 204. I have a problem clamping the Lansky onto certain knives like the Puma White Hunter that have only one flat portion on which to clamp. Also knives that have a flat grind like my Spyderco Military. I cannot consistently clamp the guide in the same spot when re-sharpening. I like the sharpmaker for sharpening recurves like the Benchmade 710.


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Kevin Miller
My Personal Interests Page
kevinandtrish@sympatico.ca
Click here for a chance to win a kit knife!
Look to the Lord and His strength, seek His face always.

 

[lifter4Him]

I had the Lansky for a couple of years and thought I was getting my blades sharp. Bottom line is that about 2 weeks after I got my sharpmaker I sold my Lansky because it couldnt compare to the sharpmaker for me.
And also didnt have to think aboput blades being too thick or long for Lansky anymore.
Just my .02.

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Dave
Phil. 4:13

Many are called but few are chosen,
Brother dont let your heart be frozen.-Charlie Daniels

 

[Mr. Dave]

Have both. The Lansky for 3 years, the Sharpmaker for about a month. The Lansky is great, never had a problem with bent rods or anything and always got a fab edge. Too bad I couldn't use it on thick or double edged knives, hatchets, recurves, etc. Now I put a 20 degree on with the Lansky and touch em up with the Sharpmaker. If you're changing the angle on, say, some BM ATS-34 with a Sharpmaker it takes a looooooong time. On the Lansky it takes about 2 minutes.

 

[Will Kwan]

I have both the Lansky and Sypderco sharpeners. I use the Spyderco a lot more often than the Lansky about a ratio of 40:1.

The Lansky is great for stone variety, angle selection, and consistancy (once set up). I have found the following problems with the Lansky, the rods need to be checked often for straightness if you stress them, the angle is only consistent on a short blade (need to move the clamp for longer blades), never get the same angle each set up, need to measure/calculate the angle to find what it really is, and the guide wears and is rather flimsy. A really sharp edge can be obtained with a bit of care.

The Spyderco has many advantages; easier to set up, longer/larger abrasives so that they can be used for fine filing or free hand sharpening (such as doing khukuri's, chizels and axes), and the angle is same with each set up. The disadvantage I have found with the Spyderco are, needs a courser abrasive it can take a really long time for some blades, more attention is required for good results, only 1 knife angle in the old model. Switching sides is when sharpening is a breeze with the Spyderco, not as easy with the Lansky.

Will